Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International Advanced Level

* 3 3 1 6 5 5 5 3 1 4 *

BIOLOGY 9700/43
Paper 4 A2 Structured Questions October/November 2015
2 hours
Candidates answer on the Question Paper.
Additional Materials: Answer paper available on request.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name in the spaces provided at the top of this page.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
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Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
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Section A For Examiner’s Use

Answer all questions.
Section A
Section B
Answer one question. 1
Circle the number of the Section B question you have answered in the grid below.
2
You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use
appropriate units. 3

Electronic calculators may be used. 4

At the end of the examination, fasten all your work securely together. 5
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part
question. 6

Section B

9 or 10

Total

This document consists of 21 printed pages, 2 blank pages and 1 lined page.

DC (LK/FD) 98848/3
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Section A

Answer all the questions.

1 (a) Yeast cells sometimes carry out anaerobic respiration.

Fig. 1.1 outlines the process of anaerobic respiration in yeast cells.

S\UXYDWH FRPSRXQG: HWKDQRO

FRPSRXQG; FRPSRXQG< FRPSRXQG=

Fig. 1.1

(i) Identify compounds W, X and Y.

W .......................................................................................................................................

X ........................................................................................................................................

Y .................................................................................................................................... [3]

(ii) State two differences between anaerobic respiration in yeast cells and anaerobic
respiration in human muscle cells.

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(b) Dinitrophenol (DNP) is a compound used as a herbicide. DNP inhibits respiration by interfering
with the formation of the proton gradient between mitochondrial membranes.

When DNP was added to isolated mitochondria the following observations were made:
• fewer ATP molecules were produced
• more heat energy was released
• the uptake of oxygen remained constant.

Suggest explanations for these observations.

fewer ATP molecules produced ................................................................................................

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more heat energy released .......................................................................................................

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constant oxygen uptake .............................................................................................................

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[Total: 8]

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BLANK PAGE

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2 A vaccine, NicVAX, is being developed to help people stop smoking tobacco. Injection of NicVAX
into the body causes production of antibody molecules that bind to nicotine.

(a) Outline the immune response that leads to the production of these anti-nicotine antibodies.

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(b) Mice injected with NicVAX produce B-lymphocytes that mature into cells responsible for the
production of antibody (plasma cells).

Outline how these B-lymphocytes can be used to produce monoclonal antibody.

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(c) Tobacco smoking during pregnancy has adverse side-effects on the developing fetus.

An investigation was carried out to find out whether vaccinating pregnant women with NicVAX
might offer some protection for the developing fetus.

Two different monoclonal antibodies, produced in response to NicVAX, were used in this
investigation:
• Nic-IgG
• Nic311.

Nicotine, or nicotine plus one of the monoclonal antibodies, was injected into the maternal
circulation. The concentrations of nicotine in the fetal circulation were measured at intervals.

The results of the investigation are shown in Fig 2.1.



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QLFRWLQHFRQFHQWUDWLRQ

QLFRWLQH


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1LFOJ*



        
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Fig. 2.1

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(i) With reference to Fig. 2.1, describe the results obtained for nicotine only.

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(ii) Discuss the extent to which these results support the idea that vaccination with NicVAX
could protect the developing fetus of a woman who smokes tobacco.

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(d) State one medical use of monoclonal antibodies, other than their use in producing vaccines.

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[Total: 15]

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BLANK PAGE

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3 Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, is one of the most important fish species farmed for human
consumption.

Fig. 3.1 shows an Atlantic salmon.

Fig. 3.1

Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a serious viral disease currently affecting farmed salmon.

(a) (i) Describe how artificial selection could be used to produce a population of salmon that is
resistant to IPN.

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(ii) Suggest problems that may arise from artificial selection.

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(b) A laboratory investigation was carried out to compare the artificially selected farmed Atlantic
salmon with farmed salmon that had not been artificially selected.

Three groups of young fish were set up in carefully controlled conditions as follows:
• Group A: artificially selected salmon
• Group B: non-artificially selected salmon
• Group C: non-artificially selected salmon.

During this investigation, only groups A and B were exposed to IPN on day 0.

The percentages of salmon that died (percentage mortality) were calculated and are shown
in Fig. 3.2.

 JURXS%


SHUFHQWDJH
PRUWDOLW\ 



 JURXS$


JURXS&

         
WLPHGD\V

Fig. 3.2

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(i) Describe and explain the differences in percentage mortality between groups A and B.

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(ii) Suggest a reason for the mortality in group C.

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[Total: 10]

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4 Haemophilia A and haemophilia B are common hereditary disorders of blood clotting.

Haemophilia A is a sex-linked genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 in 20 000 males

worldwide. It is caused by a recessive allele of a gene coding for a clotting factor and results in
excessive bleeding.

There is currently no cure, but symptoms of haemophilia can be treated with a transfusion of a
clotting factor to slow down the bleeding.

(a) State how genetic screening could reduce the number of cases of haemophilia.

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(b) (i) Some genetic disorders can be treated with gene therapy.

Outline the aims of gene therapy.

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(ii) Suggest why haemophilia A is a suitable disorder for treatment with gene therapy.

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(c) Haemophilia A and haemophilia B are caused by mutations in different blood clotting genes,
F8 and F9 respectively. Both disorders have been treated with gene therapy involving the use
of a vector.

(i) Table 4.1 shows the lengths, in kilobases (kb), of the F8 and F9 genes.

Table 4.1

gene length
haemophilia gene
/ kb
A F8 >8
B F9 1.4

With reference to Table 4.1, suggest why gene therapy using the F9 gene has been more
successful than using the F8 gene.

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(ii) Two frequently used vectors in gene therapy are compared in Table 4.2.

Table 4.2

feature vector
adenovirus retrovirus
genetic double-stranded DNA single-stranded RNA
material of
virus

expression of high gene expression gene expression in

inserted gene dividing cells only

host immune high low

response to
virus

With reference to Table 4.2, explain the advantages and disadvantages of using
adenovirus rather than retrovirus as a vector.

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[Total: 10]

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5 (a) (i) Explain what is meant by the term biodiversity.

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(ii) Explain why it is important to ensure that biodiversity is maintained.

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(b) To reduce the loss of global biodiversity, areas of habitat have been protected.

Fig 5.1 shows the changes in the total area protected and in global biodiversity from 1965 to
2005, in terrestrial and marine habitats.

terrestrial marine
global 1.2 18 global 1.2 18
total area total area
biodiversity biodiversity
protected protected
/ arbitrary / arbitrary
/ km2 × 106 / km2 × 106
units 0.9 9 units 0.9 9

0.6 0 0.6 0
6 5 75 85 95 05 6 5 75 85 95 05
19 19 19 19 20 19 19 19 19 20
year year

key:
global biodiversity
total area protected

Fig. 5.1

(i) With reference to Fig. 5.1, compare the relationship between total area protected and
global biodiversity in terrestrial and marine habitats:
• between 1970 and 1990
• between 1990 and 2005.

between 1970 and 1990 ....................................................................................................

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between 1990 and 2005 ....................................................................................................

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(ii) Suggest why a smaller area of marine habitats has been protected than of terrestrial
habitats.

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[Total: 10]
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6 (a) One important function of the kidney nephron is selective reabsorption. This involves the
rapid transfer of water across cell surface membranes. The rapid transfer of water requires
the presence of protein channels known as aquaporins.

Fig. 6.1 is a diagram of a nephron.

% & '

- (

+
)

Fig. 6.1

With reference to Fig. 6.1, complete the table by inserting the correct letter for each description.

description of region of nephron letter

region where no aquaporins are present in the tubule wall cells

region where aquaporins and glucose transport proteins are present in

tubule wall cells

region where aquaporins are always present in the tubule wall cells but
no glucose transport proteins are present

region where tubule wall cells are modified to produce filtration slits

[4]

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(b) (i) The urine of people on different types of diet was analysed.
• people on a low protein diet had a mean urea concentration of 2.40 g dm–3
• people on a high protein diet had a mean urea concentration of 14.76 g dm–3.

Calculate the percentage increase in the concentration of urea between the low and high
protein diets.

Show your working.

answer ...................................................... % [2]

(ii) Explain why an increase in the quantity of protein in the diet leads to an increase in the
concentration of urea in the urine.

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[Total: 8]

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7 (a) Fig. 7.1 shows the absorption spectra of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b and a corresponding
action spectrum.

; 


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FKORURSK\OOE <
UDWHRI SHUFHQWDJH
SKRWRV\QWKHVLV  OLJKW
DEVRUSWLRQ
FKORURSK\OOD 










      
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Fig. 7.1

(i) Explain why peak X of the action spectrum is higher than peak Y.

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(ii) Explain why most plants appear green.

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(iii) Chlorophyll b is an accessory pigment.

Outline the role played by accessory pigments in the light-dependent stage of

photosynthesis.

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(b) Describe the effects on a plant if its environmental temperature rises well above the usual
temperature range.

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(c) Complete the following paragraph by using the most suitable words to fill in the gaps.

A chloroplast is surrounded by two phospholipid membranes. It has an internal ground

substance called the stroma which is the site of the Calvin cycle. The stroma contains

enzymes such as ................................. and also sugars, lipids and starch. A chloroplast

has an internal membrane system of fluid-filled sacs called ................................... which

can be stacked to form grana. Grana membranes hold photosynthetic pigments so that the

light-dependent stage of photosynthesis can take place. The stroma contains circular

.................................. which codes for some of the chloroplast proteins made by its own small

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[Total: 15]

8 The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is widely used in genetic research. It has many phenotypic
variants in features such as body colour, wing shape and eye colour.

Two variations from the normal-winged, grey-bodied phenotype are:

• vestigial (very short) wings, coded for by the recessive allele of the gene N/n
• ebony (black) body colour, coded for by the recessive allele of the gene G/g.

(a) Using the symbols given, state the possible genotypes of normal-winged, grey-bodied fruit
flies.

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(b) Describe how you would determine the genotype of a normal-winged, grey-bodied fly.

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(c) One of the genes for eye colour is carried on the X chromosome. This gene has different
alleles coding for:

• red eyes
• orange eyes
• white eyes.

The allele for red eyes (R) is dominant to the allele for orange eyes (o) and dominant to the
allele for white eyes (w). The allele for orange eyes is dominant to that for white eyes.

Using these symbols, draw a genetic diagram to show how a cross between a white-eyed
male fruit fly with a red-eyed female fruit fly will produce male and female offspring that are
either red-eyed or orange-eyed.

[4]

[Total: 9]

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Section B

Answer one question.

9 (a) Outline oogenesis in a human female. [9]

(b) Describe and explain the changes to the uterus during the menstrual cycle. [6]

[Total:15]

10 (a) Outline how hybridisation leads to polyploidy in wheat and how this benefits farmers.
[8]

(b) Discuss the detrimental environmental and economic effects of growing genetically modified
herbicide-resistant oil seed rape. [7]

[Total: 15]

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